Netflix on the verge of hitting 100 million subscribers

The milestone will be reached this weekend if Netflix's projections are correct. Netflix made the prediction Monday with the release of its first-quarter earnings.

The Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO — Netflix is on the verge of surpassing 100 million subscribers, a testament to how much the video streaming service has changed the entertainment landscape since its debut a decade ago.

The milestone will be reached this weekend if Netflix's projections are correct. Netflix made the prediction Monday with the release of its first-quarter earnings.

The video service added nearly 5 million subscribers during the first three months of the year to end March with 98.7 million customers in roughly 190 countries.

Netflix still has a ways to go to catch up with HBO, the popular pay-TV channel that has served as its role model. HBO has 134 million subscribers worldwide, including viewers who now get the channel on an internet-only service that was inspired by Netflix's success.